Line and circuit breaker



Aug. 21, 1923. 1,465,791

w. T. RUTLEDGE LINE AND CIRCUIT BREAKER mled Jan. ze, 1921 2 sheets-smet1 ML 16 Tf r 19 3\2J Ty 25 3,? 9

l .q .Il l Il g1/wanton Aug.21,123. Y 1,465,791 W. T. RUTLEDGE 4 LINEAND CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Jan. 26 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2f//l//lllllzlnlll/11410;; s

grr/vento@ William Zl/eoye.'

Patented Aug. 2l, M923..

ii; r1

naar

LINE Ann'crnourr Bananas; a

application mea January 2e, 1921. serai No. 440,003.A

To all whom t may concern. A

Be it known that. I, WILLIAM'T. RUTLEDGE,

a citizen of the United. States,V residing vatv Santa Ana, in the countyof Orange andv State of California, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Line and `Circuit Breakers, of which the following isaspeciication.

This invention relates to line breakers for l0 high voltagetransmission. lines, andparticularly pertains to automatic linebreakers. An object of lthis invention .is to provide interlockingconnections disposedat suitable points in a transmission line,y soformed that the normal tensionot the line will hold the connectionintact but will disengage when the intervening. section Vof thetransmission line breaks -so as to cause the'ends of the broken line todetach from intact portions of the line and fall to the ground.

'Another object .is to prevent live ends of broken wires from coming incontact with The accompanying ligures illustrate various applications ofthis invention to elec?k tric transmission lines, in which Figure lisaview of va part of a transmission lineshowing an application of theinvention.y

Figure 2 is a View in longitudinal section of anupper connecting memberused in thek transmission line shown in Figure 1.

' Figure 3 is a view in end elevation of the member shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4c is a view in section of the lower connecting member used inthe transmission line shown in Figure l.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the member shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a View infrontelevation of the jointed member of thetransmission line shown in Figure l.v

Figure 7 is a view in end lelevation of the member shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a view of a transmission line illustrating anotherapplication of this invention.'V

Figure y9 is a View in section of amoditication of the member shown inFigures 4 and 5; and

Figure V101 is a View in end elevation of..

same.

Figure l1 shows another Vmodification of the member shown in Figure 4;and

same.

More specifically,- l5

Figure 12 'is fa view inl sideelevation-of indicates a transmis sion,lineI supporting tower and l16 denotes `a cross arm from which'cables17-17 en`l l and -'8,the usual T-'Lconnections 2O are interposed`between the wires andthe insuf#k latorsY tofthe Lportions of which areconnectedelectrical conductors 21 eXtendingfbe- `low the crossarm andspaced from the tower.-

The essence of this invention resides in the automatically disengageableconnections- .interposedintheline; 22 indicatingfone such connectionwhich-comprises two interlocking members 23 and r24 formed Awith`socketsrfinone ofwhich 'is a ball 25 secured and socket connection.member is 'shown in Figure l as-interposed between each T-,L member andthe insula-` tors v'18. Twoother connections 2727 are secured to thelower extremities of the T-L members and comprise two similar socketedmembers 28-28 having a vball 25"secured` to one in they same manner asthat justzde scribed.` Each ysocketed member 28 is pro'- vided withcontacts `29- 'preferably-formed of laminated .sheets'of copper and soformed 21 `'in the construction shown inv F igurel is a hinge 305theconductor in this case being of rigid construction and adapted to forcethe T--L members farther apart than the-- positions they would normallyassuma-thus placing the` conductor with the connections kunder slightpressure to hold the partsintact lThis hinge 30 consists oli'twofhinged' l members 3l .and 32 rotatably mounted on and ysecuredtogether by a vpin 33u They member 3l is of single blade knife form'andthe member-32 is split toreceive the mem- I;

ber 3l, which member -is provided with the shoulders .34 upon` which theends of thev splitmember repose. This hinge 'is rigidly Y iXed to theendsofthe conductor, the'pin being positioned below the center line ofthe conductor so that a thrust will hold' this hinge locked in a'closedposition; The

hinge is likewise* a conductor, its purpose being to provide a conductorthat `is nor-` 75 thereinby a pin 26,:thus providing a ball` n Thisconnecting-v i may be caused to buckle When the lines of force whichnrmally hold it locked are changed.

Another applicationof this invention to transmission linesis shown inFigure 8, butin .which another set ofthe connections 22 comprising ltheinterlocking members 23 land 24 is used to connect a conductor 35 totheT-L members 20-20. This conductor unay be of any suitable constructionand may be rigid or flexible but is here shown as conf sisting of alength or" Vwire which is slightly shortened so that the wires 19-19 andconnections 22 are placed under a tension to assureA engagement of theinterlocking members. Y Y

A modified construction of the connection 'shownin Figures l4 and 5 Visillustrated by Figures 9 and 10, and comprises a socketed member 40 ofcircular formV adapted to receive another member 41. This connection ispreferably for `use in connection with a rigid conductor 42.Y Figures 11and 12 illustrate another modification thereof which consists of aforked member 43 adapted to receiveY and rictionally retain a bladedmember. 44, which connection is also for use on rigid conductors 45.

VThe automatic operation of the parts described and illustrated inFigure `1 is as follows: Y A

When a section of the wires such as 19 breaks from any accidental causethe tension upon the cable 17 and the interlocking members 23 andV 24 oftheV connection 22 is released and the tension upon the T-L pieces isalso relieved. The weight of this TL piece and the attached portion ofthe broken wire causes the member 24 carrying the ball 25 to 'fall outof connection with they other member which lis secured to the cable, theweight of these nparts then comes upon the members 28 o the Yrigidconductor 21 causing it to disengage'from the rother member, Thus' theT-,L piece with the at- Vtaclied'par-t and the brokenv end of the wirefalls to the ground, this action also. occur- `ing at the pole or toweron the other sideV of the breaking point. Should the member 27 notreadily disengage while Yin the hori- Zontal position the weight of thepartswill cause the hinge 30 to buckle and allow that end of theconductor to swing toa vertical position and the members 28 will thenreadily disengage. Thus the entire section of wire between the "two,adjoining poles disconnects and falls to the ground leavingvno^ danglingvwires on the line. The normal tension of the connected wire on theother side of the tower will yhold all connected parts intact. Theconductor 21 will'V disengage also at its other end and fall to theground leaving no live portions of the line about the tower.

The construction shown in Figure 1 may recarsi ybe employed without theuse of the connec# `tion22. lIn such case, when the wire breaks, thespring contacts 29 will force the mem-V bers 28 apart and the conductor21 will' drop from position to `the, ground, thus reaking the circuitleaving the broken wire attached to the cable 17, but disconnectedv fromthe circuit so as to be harmless.

When the construction and arrangementv of parts shown in Figure 8 isVemployedlthe connections 22-22 secured to either end of the T-L pieceadjacent the broken wirel will fall to the ground when a wire breaks..The connection on the other side o the cross l arm which connects theconductor. to the other T-L piece will also disengage; Thus theconductor, together with the broken end;- l

of the wirey and the attached 1l-L 'pieceI will fall to the grounddetached entirely f from the circuit.

Various arrangements of the connections shown and described may beemployed yiniy transmission vvlines jto suitvaried require-- ments, Vandwhereas, I have shown specic:

constructions and arrangements I may use various combinations ofthesalient features. of this invention yas come within the scope;

cables secured to said tower and support' ing the electric wires,interlockingmembers disposed betweensaid cableand the wire and adaptedto remain interlockedwhenunder a tension stress, `T^-Ll pieces fixed tothe wire, a conductor connecting said T-Lf pieces -to provide a circuitwhich circumvents said tower, interlocking members *dis-V posedin said conductor adapted to remain normally interlocked but to disengage whenany section of Ythe wires break whereby all conductive 'parts of thelines betweentowers Y l fall to the groundwhen the wire between saidtowers breaks.

2. In an electric transmission line, a cross arm, a pair ofnon-conducting supports extending from opposite ysides of said crossarm, a pair of hangers connected tosaid supports by a ball and socketjoint adapted to remain interlockedV whenV under a .ten-Y sion stress,electrical conductors connecting said hangers, and an interlockingmember connecting said conductors normally held in engagement byvtensile pull imparted to.Y said hangers and adapted to automatically..

tending from opposite sides of said cross` arm, a pair of hangersconnectedto said supports by a-ball Vand socket joint adaptedV to remaininterlocked when under a ten sion stress, an electrical conductorextending between said hangers, and an 4interlocking member connectingeach end of said conductor to said hanger, normally held in engagementby a pnl imparted on said hanger and adapted to disengage on relief ofthe pull whereby the length of conductor will be freed at its ends anddisengaged from the hangers.

4. In an electric transmission line, a cross arm, apair ofnon-conducting supports extending rom opposite sides of said cross arm,a pair of hangers connected to said supports by a ball and socket jointadapted to remain interlocked when under a ten sion stress7 a rigidelectrical conductor connecting said hangers, and an interlocking memberconnecting the ends of said conduc- V tor to said hangers normally heldin engagement by tensile pull imparted to said hangers and adapted toautomatically disengage on relief of the pull on said hangers.

5. In an electric transmission line, a cross arm, a pair ofnon-conducting supports eX- tending from opposite sides of said crossarm, a pair of hangers connected to said supports by a ball and socketjoint adapted to remain interlocked when under a tension stress, a rigidelectrical conductor eX- tending between said hangers, and an internlocking member connecting each end of saidengagement by a pull impartedon said hanger and adapted to disengage on 'relief V35

